April 23-29: Jennifer Hudson’s Family’s Murder Trial Begins, How Fiance Saved Her Life

Billy Johnson, Jr.

Stop The Presses!April 28, 2012

Jennifer Hudson was the first witness to take the stand Monday during the murder trial of William Balfour, her former brother-in-law, who is being charged for the 2008 slayings of Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew.

According to the Associated Press, Hudson said her family was against her sister Julia marrying Balfour because they did not like the way he treated her. Hudson identified Balfour in the courtroom, but chose to be excused before graphic photos of the bloodied bodies of her family members were shown to the jurors.

Hudson was originally scheduled to be with her mother on the day of the murders, but ended up going to Florida instead to be with her fiancé, David Otunga, Hudson told Ebony magazine last year. "That's one of the things that saved my life," she told the magazine.

"Because I could have been home with my mom then," she said. "[David] wanted me to come out to Florida with him instead of going to Chicago."

Otunga, who is a former contestant on reality dating show "I Love New York," and a WWE wrestler, was in Florida for a wrestling event.

"That was a hard time," Otunga told the Wendy Williams Show in March. "Back then, I was just starting wrestling, and I went to Tampa. We had just gotten engaged so I asked her to come down there and be with me and you know she did obviously. She came down there and that's where we were when the tragedy happened. So it's a blessing in disguise."

Otunga said their wedding is in the works. "There is a trial we need to get through first," he said.

In other music news this week, Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb woke from a coma, his son said Monday. Gibb, who had been given a 10 percent chance to live, regained consciousness when his family played for him music from his latest album, "The Titanic Requiem."

This past Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of the death of TLC member Left Eye. Surviving members T-Boz and Chilli announced that they were planning a reunion tour.